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January 14
1800s *1882 - Philadelphia officials, justifiably proud of their new multi-purpose baseball park, declare that it "will be placed in first-class condition for base ball, football, lacrosse and law-tennis; also bicycle and pedestrian performances." *1891 - The National League votes to allow the American Association to place a team in Boston, despite the vehement opposition of the owners of the Boston Beaneaters NL club. *1892 - Former Chicago Cubs star catcher Frank (Silver) Flint dies of consumption at age 36. *1893 - The Cuban Giants, perhaps the nation's best black baseball team, announce their desire to join the proposed Middle States League. Their application is rejected. *1896 - A Chicago jury acquits Cubs outfielder Walt Wilmot of charges of violating the Sabbath law by playing Sunday baseball last year. Charges against other players are subsequently dropped, and the way is cleared for future Sunday ball in Chicago. 1900s-1910s *1905 - New York Giants owner John T. Brush, who refused to play the American League pennant winners Boston Red Sox in 1904, proposes rules governing future World Series. *1911 - The St. Louis Browns name star shortstop Bobby Wallace as their new manager. The future Hall of Famer will perform dual duties until 1912, when he will surrender his managerial position but continue as an active player. *1914 - Former major league outfielder Walt Goldsby commits suicide by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. *1916 - Lee Magee, player-manager of the Brooklyn Tip-Tops, is sold to the Yankees for about $25,000. *1919 - John McGraw, Charles A. Stoneham, and Tammany politician Judge Francis X. McQuade buy controlling interest in the New York Giants from the John Brush estate. Having drawn just 265,000 fans in 1918, the club is sold at a bargain price. The 3 will spend many days in courtrooms fighting among themselves, and fending off government charges about Stoneham's business practices. 1920s-1940s *1922: **Outfielder Clyde Milan is named the new manager of the Washington Senators. Milan took over for George McBride at the end of last season after McBride was hit in the face with a ball during batting practice. McBride began suffering vertigo and fainting spells and relinquished the manager's job. **Ben Shibe, half-owner and president of the Philadelphia Athletics since their American League start in 1906, dies at 84. A partner in the A.J. Reach Sporting Goods company, Shibe invented the machinery that made possible the manufacture of standard baseballs. *1928 - Alfred J. Reach, founder of the A.J. Reach sporting goods firm, dies at 87. Before 1860, Reach became the first ballplayer to receive a regular salary when he signed as a catcher with the Philadelphia Athletics for $25 a week. *1932 - Babe Ruth rejects a Yankees offer of $70,000, as the major leagues vow to cut salaries by $1 million. *1935 - Outfielder Bing Miller is purchased by the Boston Red Sox from the Philadelphia Athletics. *1940 - Baseball Commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis gives free agency to 91 Detroit Tigers players and farm hands. Citing cover-ups of the movement of players within its organization, Landis hands freedom to Roy Cullenbine, Benny McCoy, Lloyd Dietz, and Steve Rachunok from the parent roster and orders $47,250 paid as compensation to 14 players. Johnny Sain is one of 23 players who will later make it to the major leagues. Landis's edict also nullifies a deal that would have brought Philadelphia Athletics’ Wally Moses to the Tigers. 1950-1970s *1954 - Former Yankees outfielder Joe DiMaggio marries Hollywood actress Marilyn Monroe. *1960 - Charles Comiskey, Jr., says Bill Veeck has turned down his offer to buy the Chicago White Sox. *1963 - In a blockbuster seven-player trade, the Chicago White Sox send shortstop Luis Aparicio and outfielder Al Smith to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Hoyt Wilhelm, outfielder Dave Nicholson, third baseman Pete Ward and shortstop Ron Hansen. In the upcoming season, Wilhelm will save 21 games while Aparicio will lead the American League in stolen bases with 40. *1966 - The Cleveland Indians trades outfielder Lou Clinton to the New York Yankees for catcher Doc Edwards, who won't play in the majors until 1970, with the Philadelphia Phillies. *1970 - Johnny Murphy, the Mets general manager who had seen his team rise from the National League cellar to the World Championship, dies of a heart attack at age 61. Murphy was a top relief pitcher for the Yankees in the 1930s and early 1940s. *1976 - Ted Turner completes his purchase of 100% of the Atlanta Braves. 1980s *1981 - Frank Robinson is named manager of the San Francisco Giants, replacing Dave Bristol. In 1975, Robinson became the first African American manager in major league history when he was hired by the Cleveland Indians. *1986 - Picking first in the January draft, Cleveland select pitcher Jeff Shaw. The Pirates, selecting second, take outfielder Moisés Alou. *1987 - Catfish Hunter and Billy Williams are elected to the Hall of Fame by the BBWAA. Hunter made his name as the ace of the Oakland Athletics pitching staff in their World Championship years and made his fortune as one of the first rated free agents. Williams set a National League record by playing in 1,117 consecutive games and accumulating 426 home runs and a batting title. *1988 - Slugging Bob Horner makes a return to the major leagues by signing a one-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. Horner played the 1987 season with the Yakult Swallows of the Japanese Pacific League. With St. Louis, Horner will replace Jack Clark at first base. 1990s *1993 - The Oakland Athletics trade outfielder Harold Baines to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for two minor league pitchers. *1994 - The Orioles sign free agent third baseman Chris Sabo, and the Mariners sign free agent pitcher Greg Hibbard. *1997 - Free agent pitcher Doug Drabek is signed by the Chicago White Sox. *1998 - The Houston Astros trade outfielder James Mouton to the San Diego Padres in exchange for pitcher Sean Bergman. *1999 - The Cincinnati Reds sign free agent first baseman Hal Morris, and the Detroit Tigers obtain catcher Brad Ausmus and pitcher C.J. Nitkowski from the Houston Astros in exchange for catcher Paul Bako and four prospects. 2000s *2000: **The St. Louis Cardinals send third baseman Fernando Tatis and pitcher Britt Reames to the Montréal Expos for pitchers Dustin Hermanson and Steve Kline. **The Milwaukee Brewers trade outfielder Alex Ochoa to the Cincinnati Reds for outfielder Mark Sweeney and a minor league player, and the Kansas City Royals sign free agent pitcher Ricky Bottalico. *2001 - The Chicago White Sox obtain pitchers David Wells and Matt DeWitt from the Toronto Blue Jays for pitcher Mike Sirotka, Kevin Beirne, and Mike Williams, and outfielder Brian Simmons. *2002: **Slugger Barry Bonds avoids arbitration by agreeing to a five-year, $90 million deal with the San Francisco Giants. The contract also calls for 10-year personal services commitment at the end of his playing days. **The Chicago Cubs sign free agent outfielder Darren Lewis to a one-year contract. *2006: **Dontrelle Willis, Mark Teixeira and Alfonso Soriano were among the 100 players who filed for salary arbitration yesterday, the often acrimonious negotiating process that rankles baseball management every winter. Mark Prior, Josh Beckett, Brad Lidge, Adam Dunn, Morgan Ensberg, Brian Roberts, Travis Lee and Scot Shields were some of the other players who filed before deadline. Last year, players in arbitration averaged a 123 percent increase. **Davey Lopes joins the Washington Nationals as their new first base coach. **Relief pitcher Luis Vizcaíno and the Arizona Diamondbacks avoided arbitration by agreeing to a $1,775,000, one-year contract. Births *1874 - Jack Taylor, pitcher (d. 1938) *1892 - Billy Meyer, manager (d. 1957) *1894 - Art Decatur, pitcher (d. 1966) *1930 - Pete Daley, catcher *1937 - Sonny Siebert, All-Star pitcher *1939 - Sandy Valdespino, infielder *1951 - Derrel Thomas, infielder/outfielder *1952 - Terry Forster, pitcher *1952 - Wayne Gross, All-Star infielder Deaths *1892 - Silver Flint, catcher (b. 1855) *1909 - Togie Pittinger, pitcher (b. 1872) *1914 - Walt Goldsby, outfielder (b. 1861) *1922 - Ben Shibe, executive (b. 1838) *1928 - Al Reach, player and executive (b. 1840) *1935 - Irv Young, pitcher (b. 1877) *1945 - Ted Blankenship, pitcher (b. 1901) *1959 - John Ganzel, player and manager (b. 1874) *1962 - Les Mann, outfielder (b. 1893) *1962 - Pep Young, infielder (b. 1907) *1970 - Johnny Murphy, player and executive (b. 1908) *1974 - Lloyd Brown, pitcher (b. 1904)